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  3. Microsoft\Boot
  4. BCD
FileRisk: Do not touch

BCD \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\BCD

BCD, the UEFI boot configuration store (binary hive): lists the systems to start, the winload.efi loader and the startup options.

Updated on By AltF4 Formation

What it’s for

BCD (Boot Configuration Data) replaces the pre-Vista boot.ini. The boot manager reads it to show the menu and start each system’s loader. It is a Registry hive file, readable only through bcdedit or an equivalent tool. On a BIOS/MBR system the same store sits in \Boot\BCD at the root of the active partition.

What it contains

  • The {bootmgr} object: boot device and path \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi.
  • One entry per installed Windows, with \Windows\system32\winload.efi, the system root and options (safeboot, testsigning, debug).
  • The recovery and memory diagnostic entries.

When the store is loaded in regedit it appears under the BCD00000000 key.

Risks and best practices

  • A corrupt or missing BCD stops the boot with error 0xc000000f or “Boot Configuration Data file is missing”. Rebuild it with bcdboot C:\Windows /s S: /f UEFI.
  • Export before changing any option: bcdedit /export C:\Backup\bcd.bak, then bcdedit /import to roll back.
  • After bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal, remember to remove it (/deletevalue), otherwise the machine keeps rebooting in Safe Mode.

Useful commands

Fenêtre de terminal
:: As administrator: all entries of the active store
bcdedit /enum all


:: Read the ESP's BCD without making it the active store
mountvol S: /S
bcdedit /store S:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\BCD /enum all


:: Backup
bcdedit /export C:\Backup\bcd.bak

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